Spool structure



July11, 1944. w, H, ODDE-N Y l2,353,216

l SPOOL STRUCTURE Filed July 6, 1945 l 2 Sheets-Sheet l Zmventor W. H. BCDDE N 8W @GMW Gttorneg Patented July 1l, 1944 UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE William H. Bodden, York, Pa.

Application July' 6, 1943, Serial No. 493,638

2 Claims.

This invention relates to spools of the Ytype on which wire and insulated wire, cables, and the like are adapted to be wound.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved vspool of simple and `rugged vconstruction having a -minimum Vnumber of parts, all arranged and lassembled together'without the use of metal fastening means.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide an improved spool structure including a cylindrical barrel, preferably formed `oi a single tubular piece of heavy paper board stock, tie bars forsupporting the barrel, and head structures secured to the ends of the tie bars by wedges, the tie bars, head structures, and Wedges vall preferably being formed of wood and held assembled togetherbya suitable adhesive.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved spool structure vof the above 'type in which the tie bars have reduced ends disposed in openings formed in the head structures, and the wedges are driven into slots formed lengthwise in each end of the tie bars, the thick ends of the wedges being greater in thickness than the width of the slots so that the wedges spread the slotted ends of the tie bars tightly into engagement with the walls of the openings in the head structures.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in View, the invention consists in the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation, with parts broken away, looking at an end of a spool constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the tie bars;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the barrel; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the wedges.

In order to package wire, cables, insulated wire and the like at the mills where such wire is produced, it is the custom to wind the wire, as it leaves the machines, on to spools of various sizes, depending upon the size of the wire and the amount of wire it is desired to have in each package.

Heretofore, it has been customary to construct the spools either wholly or partly of metal. With the present day restrictions on the use of metals, it has been necessary to substitute other materials in the construction of the spools, and the spool of the present invention has been formed mostly of wood, with the barrel made from tubular paper stock of the type used for heavy mailing tubes and the like.

Referring to the drawings, the improved spool comprises two head structures I I and I2, both o-f identical construction.

The heads II and I2 preferably are in the form of circular disks of suitable diameter, which disks are formed of wood. The disks constituting the heads may be cut either from planks or from plywood having the desired number of plies to provide a rigid, non-warping structure.

At the center of each head II, I2, there is formed a relatively large opening I 3, which opening is adapted to provide means whereby the spool can Vbemounted on a spindle `or other supporting element (not shown).

Concentric with the center of the openings I3, each head II, I2, is also formed with a plurality of openings I4. Any number of openings I4 may be formed in each head, and these openings should preferably be spaced equidistances apart. In the present instance, each head I'I, I2, is shown as being formed with four openings I4. However, it will be understood that either a lesser number or a greater number of these openings can be provided. rIlhe centers of the openings I4 are disposed radially from the center of the opening I3 a suitable distance, for the purpose to be hereinafter referred to, and located at any convenient point in each head II, I2, and disposed at a greater distance outwardly from the openings I3 than is the position of the openings I4, are openings I5, through which ends of the wire wound on the spool are adapted to be inserted, in well known manner.

In order to retain the heads II, I2, in suitable spaced relation to each other, a plurality of tie bars I6 is employed.

Each tie bar I6 is preferably formed from round wooden bars, of suitable diameter. The diameter of the main body portion of each tie bar is somewhat greater than the diameter of the openings I4, and at each end each tie bar is formed with a reduced portion II, These reduced portions II have a diameter equal substantially to the diameter of the openings I4 so that the portions II of the tie bars can be inserted in the openings I4 of the heads I I, I2.

The length of each reduced portion I 'I is equal substantially to the thickness of each head I I, I2, and a shoulder I8 is formed at the inner end of each reduced portion I'I. When the partsare assembled, as shown in Fig. 2, the inner faces of the heads II, I2, bear against the shoulders I8 of the several tie bars.

Formed lengthwise in each end of each tie bar is a slot I9. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each slot I9 has a length equal substantially to twice the length of the reduced portion I'I, so that the inner end of the slot terminates in the main body of the tie bar at a suitable distance from the outer end thereof. The transverse width of each slot I9 is relatively wide, so that a wedge 29 can be driven into the slotted end of each tie bar without splittingrthe same.

Each wedge 20 has a width equal substantially to the width of the reduced end portion I'I of each tie bar and a thick end 2| and sloping to a thin edge 22 at the other end, the thickness of the thick end 2I of said wedge being greater than the width of the slot I9 so that the wedge spreads the slotted end I'I of each tie bar I6 tightly into engagement with the wall of the opening I4 inv the head.

Surrounding the several tie bars I6 and interposed between the heads I I, I2, is a cylindrical or tubular member 23, in the form of a barrel.

The cylinder 23 is preferably formed oi a single piece or section of tubular paper stock of substantial heavy construction, such as the heavy paper tubes in common use for mailing purposes.

The length of the cylinder 23 is equal substantially to the distance between the shoulders I8 of each tie bar I6 so that when the parts are assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 2, the ends of the cylinder will bear tightly against the opposed inner faces of the two heads I I, I2, respectively.

As shown in Fig. 1, the tie bars I6 are so disposed in the heads I I, I2, that the several tie bars bear against the interior wall of the cylinder 23 and rmly retain the same in position without lateral shifting with respect to the tie bars.

When the parts are being assembled, suitable adhesive may be applied to the abutting surfaces of the tie bars, heads, and wedges, and also a s-uitable ller can be inserted in the slots I9, as indicated at 24, Fig. 2, so as to ll the cavities between the wedges and the slotted portions of the tie bars. In this way the parts will be securely united into a rigid structure capable of withstanding shocks and hard usage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A spool structure comprising a plurality of tie bars having reduced ends forming shoulders, head structures having openings formed therein for receiving the reduced ends of said tie bars, a slot formed lengthwise in each end of each tie bar, each said slot having a length equal substantially to twice the length of the reduced end of the tie bar, and a wedge driven into the slotted end of each tie bar to secure the tie bars to said head structures, each wedge having a width equal substantiallyl to the width of the reduced tie bar end and a thickened end and sloping to a thin edge at the other end, the thickness of the thick end of said wedge being greater than the width of said tie bar slot so that the wedge spreads the slotted end of each tie bar tightly into engagement with the wall of each head structure opening.

2. A spool structure comprising a cylindrical barrel formed of a single tubular piece of substantial heavy paper stock, tie bars engaging the inner peripheral wall of said barrel at equidistant spaced points to support the barrel, each said tie bar having reduced ends forming shoulders, head structures having openings formed therein for receiving the reduced ends of said tie bars, a slot formed lengthwise in each end of each tie bar, each slot having a length equal substantially to twice the length of the reduced end of the tie bar, and a wedge driven into the slotted end of each tie bar, each wedge having a width equal substantially to the width of the reduced tie bar end and a thick end and sloping to a thin edge at the other end, the thickness of the thick end of said wedge being greater than the width of said tie bar slot so that the wedges spread the slotted ends of the tie bars tightly into engagement with the walls of the head structure openings to thereby secure the tie bars to said head structures.

WILLIAM H. BODDEN. 

